Cricket 1898

“ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. n o . 4 7 3 . voi. x v i i . THURSDAY, APRIL 14 , 1898 . p r i c e aa. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. MR. S. A. P. KITCAT. Although the Gloucestershire team is far from complete when Mr. Kitcat is absent, the county frequently has to take the field without him, for he finds that each year the cares of business press harder upon him. When he was thirteen years old he made his first big score, 44 for Burgess Hill against Hr. J. P. Cornish’s X I. In 1882 he went to Marlborough, and was in the eleven in 1885 when he had an average of 25, and in the following year when his average was 48. For Gloucestershire he has nearly always been a consis­ tent scorer, and last year he was in such form that it was a thousand pities he was only able to play in four innings. He has represented the Gentle­ men against the Players at the Oval, and the South against the North. For several years he has played for the Esher C.C., whenever he has been able to get away from busi­ ness. He was born at Charl­ ton, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, in 1868, and learned his cricket partly from his brother, H. D. P. Kitcat, who was in the Marlborough X I. in 1879, and partly from Seymour McC. Hill, when he was at school at Holmesdale House, Burgess Hill. In 1896 he married the daughter of His Honour J udge Greenhow, the founder of Esher C.C., of which H. H. Stephenson was one of the Most active supporters in the days when he played as an amateur. Mrs. Kitcat is well- known as a writer under the name of “ Mrs.MurrayHickson,” and is the author of that delightful book “ Concerning Teddy.” As a footballer, Mr. Kitcat played as full-back in the Marlborough XV. in 1885; for the Nomads from 1887 to 1889, and for London v. Western Counties at Blackheath, 1889. Owing to an injury incurred on the football field he did not play after 1889. As a centre-forward he is well known in the hockey field, having played for Molesey since 1889. He also played for Middlesex, 1890-1, 1891-2; South v. North, 1891-2, 1892-3; Surrey, 1893-4, 1894-5, 1895-6, 1896-7; 1897-8. In 1886 Mr. Kitcat was captain of the MR. S. A. P. KITCAT. (From a Photo by Hawkins & Co., Brighton.) Marlborough Eleven. In his second innings against Rugby, at Lord’s, he was caught off Mr. C. W. Bengough, but when he reached the pavilion, he was informed that Mr. Bengough (who had just resumed bowling, after a rest), had broken the rule, then in force, by going on twice at each end. “ I went back to the wickets,” said Mr. Kitcat, “ and appealed. The umpire gave me out. But the incident was not closed, for, after some discussion among the M.C.C. com­ mittee, it was decided that Bengough should be disqualified from bowling during the rest of the match, after finish­ ing lus over. It was owing to this occurrence that the alteration in the rule was made to the form in which it now stands, allowing a bowler to change ends as many times as he wishes during an innings, as long as he does not bowl two overs in succession.” ‘ ‘ How did you succeed in getting into the Gloucester­ shire eleven ? ” “ I had played a good deal of cricket in the county and in London, and in 1890 I made my first appearance in first- class cricket for M.C.C. against Oxford,atLord’s,and managed to make about 30. Possibly this may have influenced W.G. in giving me a trial against Glamorganshire in 1891. In this match I only made a few runs, but W.G. asked me to play the next year, at Bristol, against Kent, and I was lucky enough to make 46 and 52. Since then, I have always played for Gloucestershire whenever I can get away.” “ It is unfortunate that you can get away so seldom.” “ It is unfortunate for me, because I am obliged to adopt a stonewall style of play. I cannot get much practice, and I find it impossible to play free cricket such as I used to play when I was at Marlborough. I find that it takes a long time before I can settle down against first-class bowling, and I look with admiration upon Jessop, who, always in practice, and very quick on his feet, is able to run half-way down the pitch. I was amused to see the indignation of a good many people when he got out in last year’s University match. They said that, seeing the importance of the occasion, he ought to have treated the bowling with seriousness, instead of play­ ing as usual. But it is his proper game